1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a security apparatus for firearms adapted to be mounted to the undersurface of a structure and more particularly to those adapted to be mounted on the ceiling of an enclosure.
2. Prior Art
The present invention is intended to provide a security apparatus for safely storing firearms adjacent the ceiling of an enclosure such as a closet. One of the devices disclosed by the prior art comprises a security box assembly adapted to be secured to the undersurface of a table. A parallelogram linkage system consisting of pairs of parallel pivoted links are mounted on each side of the assembly to connect the side walls of the body portion of the side walls of the cover portion of the security assembly. When opened, the lowered body portion will be parallel to the undersurface. The problems inherent in this device stem from the inability to easily access the exposed surface of the body portion of the security assembly when it depends from the ceiling of an enclosure. The present invention resolves these problems by employing a hingedly coupled bottom and front walls that, when opened, provide visual contact with and access to firearms coupled to the surfaces thereof.
Another device taught by the prior art comprises a ceiling mounted storage box which is lowerable and retractable on guides attached to adjacent walls. The storage box can be raised or lowered by a rope positioned between the ceiling and the storage box. It is an objective of the present invention to make it appear to be coextensive with the ceiling of the closet, a feature that cannot be accomplished with the ceiling mounted storage box disclosed in the prior art. When the front and lower panels of the present invention are in the closed position, the viewable surfaces appear to be mere extensions of the side and top walls of the enclosure.
Security devices specifically to store firearms are disclosed by the prior art. One of the devices comprises a handgun safe that includes a tray to receive a handgun and a lid operatively associated with the tray such that the tray may slide horizontally with respect to the lid to selectively reveal or conceal the interior portion of the tray and the stored firearm. Inadequacies of this device are inherent in its purpose.
The present invention overcomes the inadequacies of the devices taught by the prior art. A closable compartment consisting of an upper and lower panel coupled to one another by a rear panel and opposing side panels is adapted to be mounted adjacent the ceiling of an enclosure such as a closet. The lower panel is hingedly coupled to the lower margin of the rear panel. A front panel which may be employed to obstruct entry to the interior of the present invention is hingedly coupled to the lower panel in opposition to the rear panel. In a closed position, the front panel extends between the upper and lower panel and the two side panels within which firearms can be securely maintained.